Long before the boy wizard embarked on his studies at Hogwarts and way before Bella and Edward first fell in love, there was The Magic Faraway Tree and it was epic.

Now, the most underrated collection of books by Enid Blyton are set to get the big screen treatment.

The four books in total – originally released between 1939 and 1951 – told the story of a brother and two sisters who moved to the country. Along with their friends including Moon Face, Silky and the Saucepan Man, they had the most amazing adventures at the top of the Magic Faraway Tree, located deep within the Enchanted Wood.

Previously turned into an animated series by the BBC, the film rights have been acquired by Neal Street Productions, the company owned by Skyfall and American Beauty director Sam Mendes, reports Den Of Geek.

Director Sam Mendes has acquired the writes to stories by British children’s favourite (Picture: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for The Art Fund)

While at this stage, it’s just an option that’s been taken, with no acting talent attached, a big screen adaptation seems inevitable, especially as this isn’t the first time that Mendes has been linked to the series.

His ex-wife Kate Winslet, is a self-confessed fan and would read the books to their son. She also recorded the narration for a unabridged audio version, which was released in 2003.